Which question should a nurse ask a 5-year-old admitted for an appendectomy to determine the child’s understanding of hospitalization?

Asking, "What are you doing at the hospital?" directly engages the child and encourages them to articulate their understanding of their situation. This question allows the nurse to gauge the child's comprehension of their hospitalization and the purpose of their visit without leading them in any specific direction or using complex terminology that might confuse them.

By framing the question this way, the nurse can assess whether the child has grasped key concepts related to their health and the procedures they are facing, which is crucial for understanding their emotional and psychological readiness for the procedure. This understanding can also help the nurse provide appropriate information or reassurance based on the child's response.

Other questions, while relevant in their own right, may not effectively elicit the child’s understanding of the reason for their hospitalization. For instance, asking if the child knows they will have an operation might not allow them to express what that means to them personally. Inquiring about whether they brought toys could divert the focus away from the child's comprehension of their medical situation. Asking if their parents informed them of the reason for being in the hospital might not reveal the child's own understanding and could place reliance on information received from adults rather than their personal perspective. This context helps clarify why the selected question is the most effective in assessing the child's